I had a bit of writers’ block when trying to begin the review for RAIN PAINT’s newest opus, “Disillusion Of Purity”. The band took me for a bit of a surprise when I played the album the first time through. I suppose I was expecting cliché-ridden Gothic-shlock, but what I got instead was a rather unique and intriguing album.

RAIN PAINT play a style of melancholic Gothic Rock/Metal that Finland seems to be a breeding ground for. But rather than being content to sound like Finland’s most popular Gothic exports (SENTENCED, HIM, CHARON, etc.), RAIN PAINT add just enough of their own elements to stick out. The use of occasional Death growls and Black rasps, along with slight progressive twists all add to this. Band-wise, the two closest points of reference I can think of to help describe “Disillusion Of Purity” would be KATATONIA’s “The Great Cold Distance” and AMORPHIS’ “Tuonela”, but only in spirit, as it doesn’t actually sound like either.

For highlights, check out the slow and somber “Give Back My Heart”, the upbeat “Heart Will Stop”, the aggressive “Purity”, or the lengthy (9+ minutes!) instrumental closer, “Disillusion (Outro)”. The cover of THE CURE’s “Disintigration” also sounds great, (though I’m unfamiliar with the original) and is effectively minimalistic in nature. Name-dropping individual songs on “Disillusion Of Purity” is a bit pointless though, as the whole album is strong and filler free. It’s also best listened to as whole, as the songs transition seemlessly into one another and each compliments the next.

“Disillusion Of Purity” is recommended to anyone who likes a bit of sadness in their Rock or Metal. The guys in RAIN PAINT pull it off with style and without sounding like everyone else. And for that I salute them.(Online October 15, 2006)